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noOne-season wonders: ‘The Secret Circle’ (2011-12)http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2017/1/2/Oneseason-wonders-The-Secret-Circle-201112
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837654/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"The Secret Circle"</a> (2011-12, The CW; now available on Netflix) shouldn't be nearly as good as it is, but because every actor plays the witches-and-spells mythology with total seriousness, and because the Pacific Northwest imagery is gorgeous, this series based on L.J. Smith's young-adult books from 1992 ends up being one of my favorite one-season wonders.
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Greenlit because of the popularity of another Smith adaptation, "The Vampire Diaries," "The Secret Circle" is executive produced by Andrew Miller (who wrote five episodes) with an assist from "Diaries" helmer Kevin Williamson (who wrote one). It reminds me a bit of "Roswell" in the way it gives earnest treatment to dime-store young-adult novels, and also a bit of "Buffy" in the way it achieves a perfect balance between the fantastical mythology and the standard teen struggles of the circles' six witches (the two guys are called witches too, not warlocks or wizards).
Set in fictional Chance Harbor, Wash., it was canceled after 22 episodes no doubt because of the high production costs. This is one of my all-time favorite shows to look at, ranking up there with a fellow Vancouver-filmed classic, "The X-Files." Faye ("H2O: Just Add Water's" Phoebe Tonkin) notes that the circle's adventures always take them to "spooky old dirty places" and wonders why it can't be "a mall or a nice hotel," but I adore sets such as a fire-gutted yacht, a church in the woods, a garage-turned-voodoo-shop and a mine tunnel strewn with ancient equipment. Most prominently, the circle hangs out in an abandoned house draped with foliage, where sunlight glints through gaps in the boarded-up windows; this is their answer to the Scooby Gang's high school library.
That warm-but-kinda-spooky hangout is balanced nicely by the Boathouse, a dockside restaurant owned by the father of Adam ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' " Thomas Dekker) that tends to host the less intense scenes. Similar to "Buffy," "The Secret Circle" often starts with a cold open relating to a serious magical threat, but after the title card, it gives us a breather by taking us to the Boathouse or Chance Harbor High School for some teen romance drama.
The two threads often interweave. In "Curse" (17), a passionate night between Cassie ("Life Unexpected's" Britt Robertson) and Adam leads to another member of the circle, Jake (Chris Zylka), falling ill. "Curse" reminds me of both the "Buffy" episode "Surprise" and the "Angel" episode "I Will Remember You"; it's certainly one of the most serious hours of the series' back half. Personally, though, I'm partial to the early episode "Masked" (7), highlighted by a standout example of the series' staple: a party sequence. Even as Witch Hunters infiltrate Chance Harbor in this Halloween episode, we're treated to Cassie in a cute bumblebee costume and Faye and as a Sultry Red Riding Hood. (Like the settings, it can't be denied that the cast is easy to look at.)
Through these 22 episodes, Miller and his team gradually build up a threat to the circle while peppering in mysteries. Most notably: Who is the second offspring, along with Cassie, of dark witch John Blackwell (Joe Lando)? On my initial viewing, I found it difficult to keep track of the motivations and schemes of the adult characters – the parents of the teens, notably Diana's dad Charles (Gale Harold) and Faye's mom Dawn (Natasha Henstridge), themselves comprise a circle of witches. The plot plays more clearly when viewed binge-style; however, it still asks that you pay close attention.
Although I like the whole cast, one oddity of the circle is that all six members are brooders, like a bunch of Angels (which makes sense, as all six of them lost at least one parent in the mysterious boat fire of 16 years prior). Still, there's variety. Zylka's former-Witch Hunter Jake takes the cake in the brooding category; at the other end of the spectrum is Faye, who finds magic use to be a gleeful experience – she causes a monsoon in the pilot episode in the first example of another thing this show does consistently well: visual effects.
Melissa (Jessica Parker Kennedy) is often wearing a sad face, as she loses her boyfriend Nick (Louis Hunter) early in the ongoing conflict between teen witches, the older generation of witches, and the Witch Hunters. The love triangle between Cassie, Adam and Diana (Shelley Hennig) is a notch above standard fare, as Diana knows she is losing Adam to a written-in-the-stars romance with Cassie, yet she can't hate her new best friend for it, either.
Although there are too many party and action scenes to label this show as grim, "The Secret Circle" is quite grim when it wants to be. So many spells require the witch's blood that I bet all of their hands are covered with wounds; indeed, we see that Dawn's hand indeed is. It begins to lighten things up in later episodes with quips like Faye's Cordelia-esque "I knew I should've brought demon-chasing shoes" and Diana's comment that for most kids, prom doesn't "involve ancient crystals and time travel."
I found the show to be off-point about one thing. The teen witches' parents are all a mere 16 years older than them; yes, there are six "Gilmore Girls"-type sagas going on here. Yet the teens never comment on the oddity of that. (Thankfully, there is a reason for it; it's not a random storytelling choice.)
"The Secret Circle" crams a completely satisfying witches-versus-Witch-Hunters saga into one season. Although it deserved to run longer, I'm not totally crushed that it didn't. (Indeed, it was my in my top 10 of 2011, but it didn't make my list in 2012.) Certainly, the writers had ideas for Season 2, which are teased at the end of episode 22. But with everything in Season 1 being so personal to the characters, and with many of the classic magic tropes crossed off the list (voodoo, demons, crystals, herbs, ritualistic chanting, and a wide variety of spells), I wonder if there would've been enough story left to power more seasons of this quality.
TelevisionTelevision (Classic)Secret Circle, TheMon, 02 Jan 2017 00:26:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2017/1/2/Oneseason-wonders-The-Secret-Circle-201112Five buzzworthy season finaleshttp://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2012/5/8/Five-buzzworthy-season-finales
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It's that time of year when summer movies start to steal the headlines from TV, but boob-tube fans have one last gasp, at least: The May season finales. Due to the evolving TV calendar, it's not as jam-packed of a month as it used to be; "Parenthood," "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," "Ringer" and "The Walking Dead" had their finales in previous months, while "The Killing" and "The L.A. Complex" will run well into the summer.
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That mix of schedules is a good thing, but I also enjoy a little old-fashioned May season-finale buzz. Here are the five I'm most looking forward to (and as a bonus, it looks like all of these shows will return in the fall). To find out when your favorite show is wrapping its season, I recommend checking out <a href="http://www.tv.com/features/season-finales-2012-calendar/
" target="_blank">TV.com's calendar of season finales.</a>
All times are Central.
<a href="http://www.hulu.com/new-girl" target="_blank">"New Girl"</a> (8 p.m. Tuesdays on Fox; season finale May 8) -- The writers have played the Nick-and-Jess will-they-or-won't-they relationship close to the vest, which I admire. Both have become interesting characters on their own, with Nick the 30-year-old underachieving bartender (bank tellers gather around and laugh at his shockingly low credit score) and Jess moving beyond the standard adorable and out-of-reach girl Zooey Deschanel usually plays. So ironically, this fast-improving sitcom doesn't really need the Nick-and-Jess angle; however, like Luke-and-Lorelai, I wouldn't mind if we get a big moment every season finale or so.
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/parks-and-recreation" target="_blank">"Parks and Recreation"</a> (7:30 p.m. Thursdays on NBC; season finale May 10) -- This and "The Killing" are the only shows I know of doing an election storyline in this presidential election year, and the one on "Parks" is much funnier, with hilarious political faux pas such as Leslie's bus crashing her opponent's father's funeral. To the show's credit, they've made Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) into a likable (if incredibly dumb) opponent for Leslie, and I'm not sure how the election will turn out. Will the show have Leslie lose, thus returning to the status quo of the parks office for Season 5, or will she win and become a member of the city council, thus opening up a new realm of humor? I'm leaning toward the latter.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//secret-circle-cassie.jpg">
<a href="http://www.hulu.com/secret-circle" target="_blank">"The Secret Circle"</a> (8 p.m. Thursdays on The CW; season finale May 10) -- In the history of TV, there's never before been such an extreme mix of strong acting and weak writing as we get every week on "The Secret Circle." In addition to being good-looking, the six members of the circle are all played by talented actors; I think Shelley Hennig has been particularly strong lately. They even cast the great Joe Lando as Cassie's villainous father who is using the circle ostensibly to fight the witch hunters, but really to create a crystal skull for his own means (generic, cackling evil, I assume). A few episodes ago, an interesting storyline found Cassie (Britt Robertson) still in love with Adam (Thomas Dekker) after an anti-love spell only affects him, but that's been completely squandered. Hopefully, the plot can gain some focus in the finale, and some new blood will join the writing room for Season 2.
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/fringe" target="_blank">"Fringe"</a> (8 p.m. Fridays on Fox; season finale May 11) -- My view on "Fringe" has been the same for a while now: I don't know precisely what's going on, but I still enjoy watching it every week. I'm thrilled that it will be back for a final 13-episode season in the fall, but honestly the blockbuster mythology episodes -- featuring main characters getting shot and supposedly dead characters popping up to menace our hero science team -- are not my favorites. I actually think "Fringe" had it right out of the gates as an anthology about weird science. Fortunately, it still does enough of that to please me. And even if I think it's overblown, the story of the bad guy (whether it's Jones or Bell) trying to create his own universe by destroying the two existing ones is at least unpredictable, daring TV.
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/revenge" target="_blank">"Revenge"</a> (9 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC; season finale May 23) -- Studies and anecdotal evidence tell us that forgiveness is better than revenge. By seeking vengeance, you may or may not destroy your enemy, but you're guaranteed to destroy yourself. Emily does not care about this, and that's why it's compelling to watch her not only try to take down the Grayson empire, but also to track down and kill the person who murdered her father in prison (it looks like he'll be played by great character actor James Morrison, best known for "24"). Emily VanCamp is playing the role a little too conservatively for my tastes, but Emily's friends will help illustrate this story, particularly Nolan, played fascinating scenery chewer Gabriel Mann.
What TV season finales are you most looking forward to? Share your thoughts below.
RevengeFringeTelevisionSecret Circle, TheNew GirlParks and RecreationTue, 08 May 2012 09:11:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2012/5/8/Five-buzzworthy-season-finalesWhat happened to Sophia? (and six other burning TV questions)http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/11/21/What-happened-to-Sophia-and-six-other-burning-TV-questions
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//sophia-walking-dead.jpg">
Part of why it's been a great TV season is that there are so many compelling questions that keep us watching from week to week. And these aren't just a matter of "Oh well, I've followed it this far so I might as well keep going" like I sometimes felt with "Lost." A lot of shows this fall actually have mysteries where I want to know the answer. Here are seven of the most burning questions among currently airing shows (No, I haven't forgotten about "Who killed Rosie Larsen?," but I'll save that for when "The Killing" returns). (All times Central.)
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1. What happened to Sophia on <a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead" target="_blank">"The Walking Dead"</a> (8 p.m. Sundays on AMC)?
There are four possibilities: She's alive, she's a zombie, she's dead, or we never find out the answer. It's a testament to the amazing season that "The Walking Dead" has had that I honestly think any of the four answers is a possibility. My guess, though, is that she's alive. I think her mom and the whole gang deserves something good to happen, and I think Lori needs to see that children can not only survive in the zombie apocalypse, but also be happy. It will be interesting to see how Sophia is changed by her experience, too, although how much of that we get to see might depend on how good of an actress young Madison Lintz is; so far, Sophia has just been a plot device.
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2. What is Taylor's son's evil plan on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/terra-nova" target="_blank">"Terra Nova"</a> (7 p.m. Mondays on Fox)?
We met Taylor's son, Lucas, briefly at the end of an episode, and we learned that 1, he dislikes his dad, 2, he scoffs at his dad's "precious" Terra Nova, and 3, he's compiling equipment to put together some sort of device -- perhaps his own time portal. We also know he left a bunch of sketches on rocks along a riverbank for some reason. "Terra Nova" has kind of bungled the Lucas arc because now that we've met him, he feels less like an intriguing mystery and more like an underdeveloped character. The show is in serious need of some flashback episodes to explain the Taylor family feud, and it needs some "flash-forward" episodes showing what's going on in 2149.
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3. Why did Siobhan fake her death on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/ringer" target="_blank">"Ringer"</a> (8 p.m. Tuesdays on The CW)?
We've been following Bridget's deception (pretending to be Siobhan), but the reason she was able to do this in the first place is because of her sister's deception: Pretending to kill herself. Siobhan is in Europe, shacking up with one of her husband's employees and making phone calls ordering a henchman to tie up her old friends in basements. It seems like Siobhan did not count on Bridget taking over her life (and her bank account). But, then again, wouldn't her faked death have been found out if she accessed her money from beyond the grave? We know Siobhan was going through a rough patch with Andrew and probably wanted to start fresh somewhere, but I feel like there's more to it than that. She certainly left Henry -- who was planning a happy future with Siobhan -- in the lurch.
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4. When will Jack realize that Emily Thorne is Amanda Clarke on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/revenge" target="_blank">"Revenge"</a> (9 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC)?
I gotta give "Revenge" credit for always making me buy into what's happening -- just barely. Emily recognizes Jack (they were best buds when they were kids), but the new name is enough to prevent him from realizing she is Amanda, even though he named his boat after her. Fine, people took different from age 9 to 25, so I'll buy it -- barely. Then the real Emily Thorne (going by the name Amanda Clarke since they traded names) comes to town and hits it off with Jack, conveniently never giving her name. OK, I'll go with it -- again, barely -- especially since things appear to get juicy in the next episode when Jack and Amanda hit it off even more. And on the boat, no less.
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5. Who is in the black rubber suit on <a href="http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/ahs/" target="_blank">"American Horror Story"</a> (9 p.m. Wednesdays on FX)?
In the early episodes, this question didn't matter because it was just a horror show about weird stuff happening in the house. Whether Vivien was literally having sex with a man in a black rubber suit or just imagining it was beside the point because "AHS" operated with horror-film logic. But we now understand that dead people function as if they are alive if their death occurred on this property. (Although Tate and the maid pop up much more often than the other dead characters, it's a fairly long list at this point.) And since Vivien might be pregnant with a devil child, possibly conceived by the dead guy in the suit, the question now becomes valid.
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6. Who is the other witch with dark power on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/secret-circle" target="_blank">"The Secret Circle"</a> (8 p.m. Thursdays on The CW, returns Jan. 5)?
At the end of the midseason finale, the lead witch hunter mentions that there is another witch in addition to Cassie who is descended from dark magic. Because the episode references an attraction back in the day between Faye's mom and Cassie's dad, combined with the fact that Faye made it rain in the pilot episode and is always poring over Books of Shadows, the obvious answer is Faye. In fact, it might not even be intended to be a mystery at all; the dialogue might have simply been a way of saying "Faye is Cassie's half-sister." On the other hand, we know so little about the group's parents that any of the other four witches is theoretically a candidate (and we can't even rule out Jake, although that would bring some Luke-and-Leia-style awkwardness to what we've seen so far).
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7. Is the Orange World the changed version of the Blue World, or does the Blue World that we knew exist separately on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/fringe" target="_blank">"Fringe"</a> (8 p.m. Fridays on Fox)?
Peter is back, but things are slightly off -- no one knows him (except as vague visions before his return), the psychologically disabled Walter works crime scenes remotely from the lab, and Lincoln has Peter's old place on the team and perhaps in Olivia's heart. But there's a moment of anti-déjà vu in a recent episode where Olivia can't remember receiving papers from an assistant. Did she briefly jump into the Blue World (where she knows and loves Peter), which exists side-by-side with the Orange World? I have no theories on this one; "Fringe" is so complicated that I take pride in merely understanding and enjoying what I've watched.
What are your favorite questions of the current TV season? Any theories on what the answers will be?
Terra NovaRingerRevengeAmerican Horror StoryFringeTelevisionWalking Dead, TheSecret Circle, TheMon, 21 Nov 2011 03:02:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/11/21/What-happened-to-Sophia-and-six-other-burning-TV-questionsIs ‘The Secret Circle’ secretly one of TV’s best new shows?http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/11/11/Is-The-Secret-Circle-secretly-one-of-TVs-best-new-shows
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With a great midseason finale this week, <a href="http://cwtv.com/shows/the-secret-circle" target="_blank">"The Secret Circle"</a> (8 p.m. Central Thursdays on The CW) put itself in the company of the best new shows. Entertainment Weekly might not have noticed, since it dropped the show from its weekly recaps awhile back, and it's probably destined to never be a huge darling of the media or fans. But that kind of makes me like it all the more.
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Through eight episodes, I liked the cast, the characters and the Chance Harbor, Wash., setting of "The Secret Circle," but it suffered from the same thing that plagued last summer's "The Nine Lives of Chloe King": The lack of a great villain to give urgency to the proceedings. That's rectified in a neat way in episode nine, "Balcoin," when we see that the witch hunters are not entirely evil -- they think they are serving the side of good by trying to kill Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson) because her family tree is rife with dark magic.
Additionally, we learn that Cassie is not the only Balcoin in the circle, according to the lead witch hunter. Although the writers probably want fans to have fun speculating about the identity of Cassie's half-sister, it's almost certainly Faye (Phoebe Tonkin). Faye taps into a bit of dark magic in the pilot episode (before the circle is bound in episode two, thus limiting individual power), and in "Balcoin," it is suggested that Faye's mom (Natasha Henstridge) used to have a thing for Cassie's dad, John Blackmore, the one with the darkness in his lineage.
Granted, what we know so far does allow for a twist. We've never met Melissa's (Jessica Parker Kennedy) parents. We don't know anything about Adam's (Thomas Dekker) late mother, or Diana's (Shelley Hennig), for that matter. Technically, everyone is a candidate to be the other Balcoin. A problem I have with the early episodes is that the witches' parents and grandparents are vaguely defined; they don't hinder the young witches, but they certainly keep some knowledge to themselves. More recently, it seems clear that they are on the side of good, at least.
So "The Secret Circle" potentially has a good villain or two in Cassie and Faye. The return episode in January, which includes a scene where Cassie admits she likes experimenting with dark magic, will go a long way in determining whether the second half of the season is epic (think Faith turning evil in Season 3 of "Buffy") or not so great (think Willow getting addicted to magic in Season 6).
I'm not saying the writing of "The Secret Circle" -- co-executive produced by Andrew Miller and "Dawson's Creek's" Kevin Williamson, and based on L.J. Smith's 1992 young-adult trilogy of books -- is on par with a Joss Whedon show. And I don't cringe when someone labels it a "guilty pleasure," but I think it's slightly better than that.
Sure, one could criticize Robertson and Chris Zylka -- as Jake Armstrong, the lead witch hunter who falls for Cassie and can't bring himself to kill her -- for being one-note actors. But I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. Consider that Zylka also played a one-note character on "10 Things I Hate About You," but the dim-witted Joey struck an entirely different note than the broody Jake does.
Can Robertson play dark and scary as well as she plays adorable and vaguely sarcastic? We don't know yet, because she's never been asked to. But I'm interested to find out. On the other hand, Tonkin -- who occasionally reverts to her Australian accent (that'd be a good element for a "Secret Circle" drinking game, especially since Faye favors the sauce) -- looks awesome in the pilot episode when Faye bows her head and summons a rainstorm. "The Secret Circle" needs to give us more Faye.
I think there's enough going on among the quintet for stories to spin in interesting directions. The love connections alone are mind-boggling: Faye likes Jake, Jake likes Cassie, Cassie likes Adam, Adam likes Diana, and so forth.
Even if Entertainment Weekly and most of the TV viewing public isn't, I'm looking forward to the show's return on Jan. 5.
Do you think "The Secret Circle" is actually good, or does it merely have more bewitching elements than most bad shows? Share your thoughts in the comment thread below.
TelevisionSecret Circle, TheFri, 11 Nov 2011 22:21:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/11/11/Is-The-Secret-Circle-secretly-one-of-TVs-best-new-showsThe new fall shows — not too shabby so farhttp://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/10/21/The-new-fall-shows--not-too-shabby-so-far
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//ringer-smg.jpg">
I've done "first episode impressions" of the noteworthy new shows this season, and many TV critics have done the same. We do this because it's fun and quick-hitting more so than because it's an accurate and fair way to judge a show. Indeed, my views of some shows have changed quite a bit in the month or so since the pilot episodes aired, so here's a rundown on where I now stand with these series, ranked in order of quality. (All times are Central.)
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1. <a href="http://cwtv.com/shows/ringer" target="_blank">"Ringer"</a> (8 p.m. Tuesdays, CW) -- I knew from the almost-boring previews that this show would take a while to get good, if it ever did; I promised myself I'd stick around a while out of loyalty to Sarah Michelle Gellar and because I like the noir style.
Six episodes in, this has become a pretty great show with all kinds of delicious twists. Here's an example from this week: It looks like Bridget is framing Henry for the murder of Gemma when she makes the anonymous tip about the bloody rags and debris. But no, she had actually put her own fingerprints on the garbage in order to frame herself! She's off the hook because Detective Machado thinks Bridget is actually Siobhan, so now (Bridget hopes) he'll go after Siobhan, thinking she's Bridget. Oh, and by the way, no one knows who actually killed Gemma, or if she's actually dead. (I hope she's not; I like Gemma.)
The Internet was buzzing about how horrible the ocean scene looked in episode one, but I never minded it too much. Although set in present day, I don't mind when "Ringer" takes on a rough-around-the-edges, innocent feel like 1940s noirs, where rather than complaining about the stark cinematography and broadly drawn characters, cineastes revel in it. The all-star cast (especially SMG, who hasn't made me think of Buffy once) have easily carried the show through such moments. And with Jason Dohring -- a veteran of another neo-noir, "Veronica Mars" -- joining the cast as Juliet's teacher, "Ringer's" future looks bright.
2. <a href="http://cwtv.com/shows/the-secret-circle" target="_blank">"The Secret Circle"</a> (8 p.m. Thursdays, CW) -- Whereas I vowed to give "Ringer" a fair shake, I didn't even plan to tune in for Kevin Williamson's latest teen genre entry. It looked like Britt Robertson was reprising her "Life Unexpected" role, and the pain of losing that show was too fresh.
But I tuned in after Entertainment Weekly gave "Secret Circle" a positive review, and I'm amazed each week how much I enjoy the show. Granted, Cassie is similar to Lux; I like her, but Robertson is one of those actresses whose limitations are exposed with each new role. It was telling that a recent arc featured Nick and Melissa (the fifth- and sixth-string witches in the circle) getting possessed by a demon (acting required) rather than Cassie (who just went to her generic shocked or annoyed looks).
That having been said, I like the witches and the way their personalities pop: Adam is broody (that, rather than any claims of "destiny," is probably why he has chemistry with Cassie); Diana is so nice that I root for her to stay with Adam, even though she's the odd girl out by the rules of TV love triangles; Faye is a sexy wild card; and Melissa is depressive. The mythology should continue to build -- this week introduced charismatic Jake, who is both a witch and a witch-hunter, whom Adam despises and whom Cassie kinda likes.
3. <a href="http://www.hulu.com/terra-nova" target="_blank">"Terra Nova"</a> (7 p.m. Mondays, Fox) -- After buying into the pilot hook, line and sinker, I've found the subsequent three episodes to be steps backward. I still think it's a beautifully realized world, and I was fairly engaged by the second episode, where our heroes were faced with solving the scientific mystery of flying beasts' migratory patterns.
Episode three, though, was an amnesia episode, and I'm not a fan of those, especially this early in the series. And this week, I knew that little girl who looked like Newt from "Aliens" was a spy for the Sixers the minute she appeared on screen. I don't like feeling smarter than the show I'm watching. The next episode looks promising though -- someone is using a dinosaur to commit murder! -- and "Terra Nova" will have to sink a lot lower for me to give up on it. I consider the last two weeks to be growing pains.
4. <a href="http://www.hulu.com/revenge" target="_blank">"Revenge"</a> (9 p.m. Wednesdays, ABC) -- The concept is wild (young woman gets revenge, one by one, on the rich beachfront jerks who framed her father), yet the details are smart. Emily VanCamp's Emily Thorne does not intend to accept help in this mission, yet the most compelling characters are two potential allies: Nolan, a dot-com millionaire and tech genius who respected Emily's dad; and Jack, a blue-collar bartender/sailor who adored Emily when they were both kids, but doesn't realize Emily is indeed Amanda, the girl he named his boat after.
The next episode ostensibly is the one where Jack finally realizes who Emily is, although I'm a little worried the preview is playing a fast one on us. Still, "Revenge" will have to spiral into stupidity (something it shows no signs of so far) for me to drop it; it's not as deliciously twisty as "Ringer," but it's smartly plotted and seems to know where it's going (indeed, the series began with a flash-forward to a moment it is now building toward).
5. <a href="http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/ahs/" target="_blank">"American Horror Story"</a> (9 p.m. Wednesdays, FX) -- As I expected, since this is from the creators of "Glee," "AHS" is completely insane; it makes the four high-concept shows I've listed so far look like procedurals. A bit too often, the nutso elements -- the crazy, nasty neighbor and the glum (and dead!) maid who both seem to be mystically trapped in the vicinity of the house -- drown out all the potentially good stuff, like the often-scary episode-opening flashbacks showing the tragic lives past residents.
Still, I've stuck with it through three episodes and I'm still intrigued. This week's entry smartly addressed the problem so many people have with the concept (Why the heck would the family stay in the house?) by getting into the dirty reality of the housing market -- it's gonna be a hard house to sell and they don't have the money to buy a second home. Next week's installment looks to be a real corker, as glassy-eyed Tate takes Violet downstairs again and ostensibly lets her in on the history of the mysterious basement.
6, 7 and 8. <a href="http://www.hulu.com/pan-am" target="_blank">"Pan Am,"</a> <a href="http://www.hulu.com/new-girl" target="_blank">"New Girl"</a> and <a href="http://cwtv.com/shows/hart-of-dixie" target="_blank">"Hart of Dixie"</a> -- Sometimes I have to cancel shows before the networks do. Turnabout's fair play; they've canceled many shows before I was ready to quit watching them. "Pan Am" has the 1960s touchstones, but not much narrative momentum; it tries too hard with the international-spy stuff. "New Girl" could've been quirkily brilliant, but after a few episodes, I could tell the writers had no interest in leaving the safe zone of standard sitcom tropes; Zooey's cute, but it's not enough. I dropped "Hart of Dixie" after the awful pilot episode; I've heard it has improved (and I'm not surprised, since the bar was set so low), but I don't feel like I'm missing much.
A couple more new shows will launch soon. I have almost no hope that <a href="http://www.hulu.com/once-upon-a-time" target="_blank">"Once Upon a Time"</a> (7 p.m. Sundays, ABC, starting Sunday) will be any good -- but then again, I felt the same way about "The Secret Circle." And my expectations are also pretty low for <a href="http://www.hulu.com/grimm" target="_blank">"Grimm"</a> (8 p.m. Fridays, NBC, starting Oct. 28) -- although the previews keep pushing the fact that a couple "Buffy" and "Angel" producers are behind this show, the previews are bland; then again, not all hidden depths come out in the previews.
What are your favorite new shows of the fall season, now that we've had a chance to take in a handful of episodes?
Terra NovaRingerRevengeAmerican Horror StoryTelevisionSecret Circle, TheFri, 21 Oct 2011 03:33:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/10/21/The-new-fall-shows--not-too-shabby-so-farFirst episode impressions: ‘The Secret Circle’http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/9/19/First-episode-impressions-The-Secret-Circle
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//secret-circle.jpg">
I like just about everything about <a href="http://cwtv.com/shows/the-secret-circle" target="_blank">"The Secret Circle"</a> (8 p.m. Central Thursdays on The CW) except the fact that -- I am stifling a yawn just typing this -- it's yet another show about young people with superpowers. In this case it's witch powers rather than cat powers ("The Nine Lives of Chloe King"), vampire powers ("The Vampire Diaries"), werewolf powers ("Teen Wolf") or random powers ("Alphas"), but that's a minor distinction.
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It's set in Washington state, and shot in Vancouver; I'm a sucker for any show filmed in Vancouver. And the small town that Cassie (Britt Robertson) moves to (to move in with her grandma after her mom's death) has a gorgeous, natural charm, from the brick-building-lined streets to the lush woods to the waterfront. The pilot episode wraps with an epic witch-induced storm that has everyone running for shelter on the docks. There's a nice sense of place to "The Secret Circle."
I resisted even trying the first episode out of respect for Robertson's canceled-too-soon "Life Unexpected," but that was overcome by my liking for the actress. Cassie is easy to root for as a protagonist, even if she is slightly broody and decidedly blander than Lux so far.
Also part of the coven of six teens is Thomas Dekker from "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." To me, Dekker is John Connor; even if the TV series was a step down from James Cameron's movies, Dekker played the character much longer than anyone else, and he did a fine job. Here, he plays Adam, whom destiny says is meant to be with Cassie. But he has a girlfriend also in the coven, Diana (Shelley Hennig).
And it's great to see Phoebe Tonkin, the cutest of the three mermaids on "H2O: Just Add Water," get a role on a major series. I miss her Australian accent, and I'm on the fence about whether I like her as the villain, Faye. I give the show credit for casting against type, at least.
As for the mythology, it's something about how this sextet's parents were also in a secret circle of witches (And warlocks? Wizards? No word yet on what the male witches call themselves). Now this next generation has completed their circle with the addition of Cassie. Some of the parents seem to be on the teens' side, and others might be out to kill them; I found it hard to care, either way.
Thematically, "The Secret Circle" explores that age-old superhero trope, best illustrated in the "X-Men" saga: If given great power, how should one use it? Already, it's clear Faye wants to use it to her personal advantage; others -- particularly the outspoken Diana -- feel like they can do some good with their power, but they have to proceed with caution.
Is there some way "The Secret Circle" can transcend being yet another show about teens with superpowers? After one episode, it seems unlikely. It has a lot of good qualities, but I don't see it adding much to an overplayed genre.
I'll be back for episode two to give it a fair chance to move away from the cliches and establish itself as something fresh.
TelevisionSecret Circle, TheMon, 19 Sep 2011 19:55:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2011/9/19/First-episode-impressions-The-Secret-Circle